The $6 Million Tweet: How Oreo Won the Super Bowl Without Buying an Ad
Sometimes the biggest marketing wins cost nothing but timing and guts. In 2013, Oreo pulled off one of the most legendary real-time marketing stunts ever, and all it took was a single tweet during the Super Bowl blackout.
The Background
Super Bowl ads cost millions. In 2013, brands like Budweiser and Coca-Cola spent huge sums for 30 seconds of airtime. Oreo didn’t. But during the third quarter of the game, the stadium lights went out, and Oreo’s social team seized their moment.
The Tweet
“You can still dunk in the dark.”
That was it. A simple image, a clever line, posted to Twitter during the blackout. No fancy production, no huge budget. Just perfect timing.
The Outcome
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The tweet went viral instantly, racking up thousands of retweets and mentions.
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PR coverage was massive: every marketing blog, newspaper, and TV show covered it.
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Oreo became the hero brand of the night, overshadowing brands that spent millions.
Why It Worked
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Preparedness. Oreo’s social team had a war room ready, monitoring the game in real time.
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Speed. They got the tweet out while the lights were still out.
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Relevance. It tied the brand directly to what everyone was experiencing in that moment.
What Businesses Can Learn
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You don’t always need a big budget; you need speed and relevance.
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Build small, nimble teams who can make decisions fast, especially during live events.
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Great content marketing isn’t about pushing products; it’s about joining conversations at the right time.
The Takeaway
Marketing doesn’t always mean million-dollar ads. Sometimes it’s about being ready, being bold, and saying the right thing at the right time. Oreo’s “dunk in the dark” tweet cost nothing and outshone brands spending millions.